Introduction

The Ability Book was introduced into the game with the Evolution of Combat update with the aim of replacing special attacks, and is found on the tabs bar. Each of the primary combat skills have their own abilities which have their own requirements, effects, ability class and cooldown period. All abilities can be used in both player vs monster and player vs player combat. An example is shown below, where you can see that the Smash ability requires you to wield a two-handed melee weapon and have at least 20 Attack. You can also choose to hide abilities for which you do not currently meet requirements by clicking the toggle option .

Abilities are split into three main ability classes which generally determine how powerful they are and how long the cooldown period is. Each class of ability requires a certain percentage of the Adrenaline bar to be full before they can be used. In addition, some weapons possess a special attack ability designed to emulate pre-Evolution of Combat Special Attacks. The ability classes are as follows:

Class

Average Power

Average Cooldown

Adrenaline Required

Adrenaline Change

Basic

Low

Short

None

+8%

Threshold

Medium

Medium

50%

-15%

Ultimate

High

Long

100%

-100%

Special

Varies

None

Varies

Varies

It is worth noting that not every ability follows these principles. In particular, the constitution abilities tend to have a longer cooldown period. Basic abilities generate adrenaline, Threshold abilities consume a small amount of adrenaline, and Ultimate abilities drain the Adrenaline bar completely. In addition, some weapons possess the Special ability attribute, allowing use of a certain special attack with that weapon, designed to somewhat mimic the infamous Special Attacks prior to the EoC system implementation. For the most part they are unique, but some small classes of weapons share a special attack.

Ability classes are independent of individual skill levels, it is possible to have an ability that requires a high skill level but is only Basic, likewise it is possible to have an Ultimate ability with a low skill requirement.

Abilities labelled "Combo attack" must be given time to complete. If a subsequent ability is used while the combo attack is still in progress, the combo attack is cancelled. Abilities that are the same, for example the Backhand ability, Kick and Bash abilities will all cooldown at the same time to prevent continued used of stuns.

Abilities can also be placed in the action bar which allows players to quickly access their most used abilities by either clicking on them or by using the key a specific ability is bound to. Valid keys are A-Z, 0-9 and -=[]/\#';,. It is possible to have five different set-ups for action bars so they are easy to switch between if needed.

For the entirety of this guide, members abilities are marked with a slightly darker row colour.

Setting up your Action Bar

Setting up an action bar can be a little overwhelming for newcomers, so this section is dedicated to helping you get started. Abilities vary based on the type of combat and whether a two-handed or dual-wield weapon setup is used. A third option is to use a shield, but in most cases a shield is inferior to using both slots for a weapon. The table below shows sample ability bars for each of the three types of combat and styles (dual wield and 2H). To add these abilities to your action bar, do the following:

Open the Powers interface by clicking on it.

Observe there are several categories: Melee, Ranged, Magic, and Defensive.

To find a particular ability (see the sample ability bars below), first note the TYPE in parentheses around the text on hover over. This can be Attack, Strength, Ranged, Magic, Defence, or Constitution.

Click the appropriate tab in the Powers interface:

Melee for Attack/Strength;

Ranged for Ranged;

Magic for Magic;

Defensive for Defence/Constitution.

To flip between Attack/Strength or Defence/Constitution abilities, click the tiny icons just under the text "Melee Abilities" or "Defensive Abilities" respectively. A white border appears around the type currently selected.

Match the picture of the ability to the picture in the list. If it's not there, you may not have access to it. You can use the toggle option to show/hide abilities that are not accessible. Should a requirement to use an ability not be met, such as a skill level, it will show up in red in the popup menu when hovered over. Abilities unlocked via quests and other means will not be shown regardless of the toggle setting.

Drag it onto the desired spot in your action bar. Remember that there are multiple action bars, and you can cycle through them as desired to set up different bars. Continue until you are satisfied with the bar.

You are now all set to use your ability bar! Right click any slot and choose 'Customize-keybind [ability name]' if you wish to change keyboard shortcuts for any of the specific ability slots. These persist even if you replace them with other abilities or other actions, unless they are changed directly. Combat mode can also be changed by right-clicking the cog icon in the top-right corner - choose Revolution to automatically fire off basic abilities for you. This is a good idea for beginners or players trying Evolution of Combat for the first time, as it automates a substantial chunk of the work. Threshold and Ultimate abilities can still be triggered at any time, but must be done automatically.

Sample Ability Bars

Here are some suggested ability bars to try out, along with a few comments. If you don't know where to start, use one of these!

Hover over an ability to see its name (class, TYPE).

Click an ability for more information.

One can substitute for , if available (particularly useful for some bossing setups).

The ability Sacrifice can also be used to restore some health, if available.

Hover over an ability to see its name (class, TYPE).

Click an ability for more information.

One can substitute for , if available (particularly useful for some bossing setups).

The ability Sacrifice can also be used to restore some health, if available.

Shoulder-barge your target, breaking free of binds and dealing up to 125% weapon damage. Barge will also apply a 1.2 second bind to your opponent. Does not share a cooldown with Surge.

20 seconds

Flurry

Threshold

37

Two melee weapons

Perform a flurry of blows against your surrounding targets, dealing up to 94% weapon damage per hit over 6 seconds. Should any blows miss, the remaining hits will aim at the original target. Combo attack.

20 seconds

Sever

Basic

45

Any melee weapon

Sever a tendon, dealing up to 188% weapon damage and reducing any damage they deal by 10% for 5 seconds.

15 seconds

Hurricane

Threshold

55

Two-handed melee weapon

Spin on the spot, dealing 66-219% weapon damage to all adjacent targets, hitting your main target a second time dealing 84-161% damage. This ability shares a cooldown with Destroy. When using a halberd or Noxious scythe the AoE damage area will be 5x5 instead of 3x3.

20 seconds

Massacre

Ultimate

66

Two melee weapons

Rend your target, dealing up to 188% of both weapons\' damage instantly and causing an additional 313% of both weapons\' damage over 6 seconds.

Blood tendrils whip at you and your opponent for up to 5 seconds. It deals up to 180% weapon damage to your target instantly, then four subsequent hits that each deal up to 90% of weapon damage to the target, and up to 25% weapon damage to the caster.

45 seconds

Meteor Strike

Ultimate

81

Two-handed melee weapon

Crash down on your target with the force of a meteor, dealing damage of up to 250-350% weapon damage and AoE damage to nearby opponents. Critical strikes generate 10% adrenaline for 30 seconds. Usable on all targets (previously only on targets with over 50% of life points remaining).

Strike your target, restoring balance. If you have less health than your target, they will take proportionate damage and you will be healed. Be cautious: if you have more health than your target, you will take damage and they will be healed.

Strength

Strength abilities generally require a weapon (or in some cases, two) to be equipped for them to be performed. These abilities focus on increasing the damage output of your weapon over a period of time.

Pic

Ability

Class

Level

Requirements

Description

Cooldown

Stomp

Threshold

3

None

Kick your target, knocking them back and stunning them for 3 seconds and dealing 200% weapon damage.

15 seconds

Kick

Basic

3

None

Kick your target, knocking them back and interrupting their attacks for 3 seconds. The attack deals 100% weapon damage.

Taunt your target, forcing them to focus their attacks on you. Player targets have their damage reduced by 50% when attacking anyone other than yourself. However, you also do 50% less damage when attacking any other player. Lasts 6 seconds.

10 seconds

Immortality

Ultimate

29

Shield

Any damage you receive is reduced by 25% for 30 seconds. If you should die during this period, you will miraculously return to life. However, the Immortality effect will be consumed.

120 seconds

Freedom

Basic

34

None

Break free of any stuns or snares and gain immunity to any further ones for 6 seconds, also clears damage over time effects.

30 seconds

Reflect

Threshold

37

Shield

Raise your shield, reflecting 50% of any damage you receive back at the attacker. Lasts 10 seconds.

30 seconds

Resonance

Basic

48

Shield

The next attack you receive within 6 seconds will heal you instead of harm you. Certain large Boss attacks will be prevented, but will not heal.

30 seconds

Rejuvenate

Ultimate

52

Shield

Channel your adrenaline to help restore 40% of your life points and fully restore your drained stats over 10 seconds.

300 seconds

Debilitate

Threshold

55

None

Debilitate your target for up to 100% weapon damage, also reducing any damage they deal to you by 50% for 8 seconds. This duration increases if a shield is equipped - longer for higher levelled shields.

30 seconds

Preparation

Basic

67

Shield

Prepare for the fight ahead, causing each attack you receive to reduce the remaining cooldown of Resonance by 3 seconds. Lasts 10 seconds.

20 seconds

Barricade

Ultimate

81

Shield

Summon an impenetrable barricade, which prevents all damage received for 10 seconds.

A basic ability that deals 100% damage to your opponent, ignoring protection prayers. Heals 25% of the damage you deal, or 100% if your target dies.

30 seconds

Incite

Basic

24

None

Dramatically increases the likelihood that your attacks will cause your target to attack you instead of your allies. Lasts until cancelled. Has no effect in PvP.

None

Tuska's Wrath

Basic

50

Tuska World Event

Deal 10000% of your Slayer level as damage to your active slayer target. If used on a non slayer target the ability will deal 110% weapon damage and will go on a 15 second cooldown. Certain more powerful enemies are excluded

Summons a crystal with a total healing capacity equal to three times the caster's maximum life points. It will heal anyone standing near it for 1-7% of their maximum life points every 4 seconds, based on their proximity to the crystal. The crystal disappears after 20 seconds or after reaching its healing capacity, whichever comes first.

Shadow tendrils whip at your feet multiple times in quick succession for 33-250% weapon damage. They then strike your opponent once for 66-500% weapon damage.

45 seconds

Unload

Ultimate

81

Two ranged weapons

Unload both your weapons at your target's current location for 6 seconds. Every 2 seconds, all targets standing at that location will take damage up to 150% of weapon damage. Each subsequent hit gains an extra 10% damage. Combo attack.

Create a shroud of death at your location for 30 seconds. While you remain within the shroud, your ranged damage will be increased by 50%. If your target stands within the shroud, they will be hit for 10%-20% of weapon damage every 2 seconds.

Magic

Magic abilities generally require at least one magic weapon for them to be performed, although it should be noted that combat spells cannot be cast without a magic weapon wielded in any case. These abilities focus on increasing the damage dealt by spells. Normal spells for your current spellbook can also be accessed through the magic abilities tab, refer to the Magic Guide, Ancient Magicks Guide or Lunar Magic Guide for more information.

Reach out with magical force and choke the life from your target over 6 seconds, dealing damage every 2 seconds, initially binding the target for 6 seconds. Combo Attack.

20 seconds

Omnipower

Ultimate

2

None

Bombard your target with each of the 4 elements, dealing damage equal to 200-400% of your active spells damage.

30 seconds

Dragon Breath

Basic

5

None

Breathe a mighty cloud of fire in a frontal cone, hitting all targets for damage up to 188% of active spell damage, disabling protection prayers in PvP.

10 seconds

Sonic Wave

Basic

8

Two-handed magic weapon

A focused blast of magic that pummels your target, damaging and knocking them off balance. Deals 157% of your active spell's damage. Your next attack has a 10% bonus to accuracy against the affected target.

5 seconds

Impact

Basic

10

None

Blast your target with a burst of magical energy, interrupting their attacks and binding them for a short time and dealing 100% of your active spell's damage.

15 seconds

Concentrated Blast

Basic

12

Two magic weapons

Blast your target with three beams of concentrated energy. Each beam deals 75% of your active spell's damage and increases by 7% with each beam. Combo attack.

5 seconds

Deep Impact

Threshold

15

None.

Blast your target with a burst of magical energy, stunning and binding them for a short time and dealing 200% of your active spell's damage.

15 seconds

Combust

Basic

20

None

Applies a damage-over-time effect to the target, dealing 100-188% of the active spell's damage over 6 seconds. If the target moves location, they suffer 2x damage.

15 seconds

Surge

Basic

30

None

Instantly teleport up to 10 meters in a straight line ahead. Does not share a cooldown with barge.

20 seconds

Detonate

Threshold

37

None

Summon an explosive ball of energy. The longer you maintain the effect - up to 6 seconds - the more powerful the explosion will become. Using Detonate a second time will trigger the explosion.

Summon a sunbeam to shine over your location, lasting 30 seconds. During this time, provided you remain within the beam, your magic damage will be increased by 50%. If your target enters the beam, they will be hit for 10%-20% of weapon damage every 2 seconds.

Reach out with magical force and choke the life from your target over 6 seconds, dealing damage every 2 seconds, initially binding the target for 6 seconds. Combo Attack.

20 seconds

Omnipower

Ultimate

2

None

Bombard your target with each of the 4 elements, dealing damage equal to 200-400% of your active spells damage.

30 seconds

Sonic Wave

Basic

8

Two-handed magic weapon

A focused blast of magic that pummels your target, damaging and knocking them off balance. Deals 157% of your active spell's damage. Your next attack has a 10% bonus to accuracy against the affected target.

5 seconds

Impact

Basic

10

None

Blast your target with a burst of magical energy, interrupting their attacks and binding them for a short time and dealing 100% of your active spell's damage.

15 seconds

Deep Impact

Threshold

15

None.

Blast your target with a burst of magical energy, stunning and binding them for a short time and dealing 200% of your active spell's damage.

15 seconds

Combust

Basic

20

None

Applies a damage-over-time effect to the target, dealing 100-188% of the active spell's damage over 6 seconds. If the target moves location, they suffer 2x damage.

Special Attacks

Prior to the Evolution of Combat, many high level weapons had a Special Attack. This was changed initially upon released and they were removed from the game, but subsequently added back in. Now, for applicable weapons one can use a special attack by queuing up the special attack ability. Depending on the weapon, using a special will drain a varying amount of adrenaline, but there are no cooldown periods for using them. A list of special attacks, the amount of adrenaline drained by using them, and other useful information about the individual abilities is presented below.

Fires out an arrow that will trap the opponent in a column of fire. 12.5% of stored damage will then be released in the form of a fast ticking damage over time (DoT) attack that will last for 4.8 seconds.

An attack that deals more damage to those with an affinity to the gods (Prayers or items marked by a God).

*Despite this weapon being available to free to play, it should be noted that the special attack can only be used on members' servers.
**The corrupted version of this weapon does not possess the special attack ability.

*Despite this weapon being available to free to play, it should be noted that the special attack can only be used on members' servers.
**The corrupted version of this weapon does not possess the special attack ability.

Lucky items: Many of the weapons listed above have lucky versions that were (and in some cases, still are) available as prizes on Treasure Hunter. Unless otherwise noted, the lucky versions have the same special attack as their regular counterparts.

Warpriest Set Effects

Warpriest sets (Armadyl, Bandos, Saradomin, and Zamorak), as well as their Golden versions, have set effects that have effects on ability cooldowns. Wearing more pieces can boost the likelihood of the effects, and each full set is 6 pieces. If you did not earn these sets during the first two world events, or have lost them, you can obtain them as somewhat rare drops from mobs or bosses in the God Wars Dungeon. Their effects are summarized in the table below.